Reenforced horn



July 15 1924.

R- MERTZ w REENFORGED HORN Filed Aug. ll, 1923 Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

RAY MERTZ, OF AKRON, OHIO, .ASSIGNOR TO THE MILLER RUBBR COMPANY, F

AKRON, OHIO, CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

REENFOBED HORN.

6 have invented certain new and useful Improveniente in. Reenforced Horns, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvementsin megaphones, and aims to produce a horn which will have the desired characteristics' as a sound amplifier, which may be manufactured at an extremely low cost, and

vwhich will be strong and durable in use.

Heretofore sound ampliers have been made of rubber compound containing a blowing ingredient, as disclosed in an application filed in the United States Patent Office on the 18th day .of December, 1922,

1 Serial No. 607 ,610, said application and the present one being owned byone and the same assignee.

It has been found that by varyin hardness of the rubber composing theii the characteristics thereof as a fier can be varied or modified, and that for many purposes a relatively soft compound is more desirable, though by the Word soft I do not wish to be understood as meaning what is known. to the trade as soft rubber, but on the contrary, the horn is composed .of hard rubber 1thouglencf a softer cure than is customary. It has been found that such softer horns are liable to sag in warm atmospheres so as to change their shape and also danger of such change of shape in shipp1ng. v

The present invention aims to remove this objection in a manner which will not imthe orn, sound amplipair the sound producing characteristicsof' the horn and to this end the invention comprises the novel construction hereinafter described, and defined by the' appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of such a horn or megaphone.

Fig. 2 .is a front elevation, away- Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail. Referring by reference characters to this drawing, the Ynumeral l desi ates the horn proper which,- as stated, is made of hard rubpartly broken Appueauon mea August 11, 1923. serial No. 658,891.

ber compound containing a blowing in edient, which, during vulcanization, will be gasiled and oduce throughout the body of the rubber a ultiplicity of cells. In order to reinforce the horn or amplifier to `prevent distortion, I embody therein metal reinforcements. I have found, however, that to secure the best results and preserve the sound characteristics or advantages of t-he rubber horn, a certain specific yarrangement of the reinforcements is desired.' My preferred form of reinforcement comprises an` annular reinforcement for the aredmouth of the amplifier, which is in the shape of a ring 2,

and upper and lower reinforcements extending lengthwise of the'horn, indicated at 3 and 3f?. These lengthwise relnforcements are nreferably made in the form of flat brai ed wire, as shown, which wire is preferably impregnated with a rubber compound before being embodied in the horn. By the use of braided or'woven wire in this manner, the reinforcement is prevented from being forced to the surface of I have found that if a solid ring reinforcement is used at the mouth of the horn, it is liable to be forced to the surface in the molding process, due to differences in expansion, and I therefore, use a split ring with the ends telescoped into a short piece of metal tubing, as indicated at 2a. The longitudinal reinforcements 3 and 3, are not connected with the ring in any way, but 'simply overlie the same so as to' avoid any pull upon the ring from the longitudinal reinforcements due to temperature changes.

A horn reenforced as above described, leaves the greater part of the material selfsupporting, while-the single ring at the mouth of the hornwhich is the most inactive part, but which is'most liable to damage in rough handling, effectively reinforces it and braces it against distortion. The lengthwise supports of braided or woven wire, serve effectively to prevent the hornfrom sagging, while atv the same time, they do not interfere with the sound characteristics.

y Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A sound amplifier or megaphone composed of vulcanizedrubber compound having a metallic reinforcing ring embedded the horn in molding.

therein adjacent the mouth of the horn, said mouth thereof, and lengthwise disposed mering having its ends telescopically connected.

2. A sound amplifier or megaphone composed of vulcanized hard rubber compound D having lengthwise disposed reinforcingY ele' ments of braided or woven Wire.A

3. A sound amplifier or megaphone coin-- posedlof vulcanized rubber compound having an annular metallic reinforcement in the tallie reinforcements embedded in the material thereof, and free from connection:

with the Said annular reinforcement'.

ln testimony whereof, l aiix my signature.

BAY MER'IZ. 

